Vehicle-axle



No. 625,693. Patented May 23, I899.

H. A. MOYER.

VEHICLE AXLE.

(Application filed Mar. 24, 1899.) (No Model.)

wrmissas w 7 4 INvENToR ATTORNEY llNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

4 HARVEY A. MOYER, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

VEH IC LE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,693, dated May 23, 1899-.

Application filed March 24, 1899- The object of the invention is to insure a more thorough and uniform distribution of the lubricant around the spindle and at the same time prevent escape and Waste of lubricant from the ends of the spindle and to at tain said object bya novel, simple, and inexpensive construction and arrangement of the lubricating-channel and Without perforating and thus weakening the spindle.

To attain said obj ect,the invention consists, essentially, of a vehicle-axle having its spindle provided with a lubricating-groove extending lengthwise thereof above the horizontal center and in front of the vertical center of the spindle, said groove having its lower wall formed approximately horizontal transversely to the front of the spindle and longitudinally throughout the main portion of the length of the groove to shed the lubricant uniformly from the entire length of said wall and the other wall of said groove extending to the top portion of the spindle to receive the lubricant from the rear of the spindle and restore it to the aforesaid shedding-wall, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of an axle-spindle provided with my improved lubricating-channel. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line X X in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section showing a modification of my invention, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the main portion of the spindle.

0. represents the axle-spindle, which is usually provided With a screw-threaded outer end portion or for the reception of the wheelretaining nut n.

2) denotes the j ournal-box, which is secured in the usual and well-known manner in the hub of the Wheel. (Not shown.)

0 represents my improved lubricatin g-chan- Serial No. 710,294u (N0 model.)

nel, which extends lengthwise of the spindle and nearly or quite parallel with the spindle. This channel or groove I form above the horizontal center and in front of the vertical center of the spindle, as shown, the dartsin Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings indicating the direction of the rotation of the wheel and distinguishing the rear from the front of the spindle. The. lower wall 0' of said channel is formedapproximately horizontaltransversely to the front of the spindle and longitudinally throughout the main portion of the groove or sufficiently near such a plane to cause saidwall to shed the lubricant from the base of the channel across the said wall to the exterior of the spindle, and thus cause a continuous and uniform distribution of the lubricant directly out from the edge of the entire length of the main portion of said Wall. Said lubricant-shed is entirely free from liability of becoming clogged by gummy lubricant. The opposite Wall 0 of the lubricating-channel extends vertically, or approximately so, from the horizontal Wall 0 to the top portion of the spindle, said wall forming a precipitous condoctor for the lubricant from the top of the spindle to the lower wall 0.

The effect of my described improved lubrieating-channel during the rotation of the wheel is as follows, to wit: The wheel rotating in the direction indicated by the darts in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings causes the lu bricant to flow freely from the entire length of the free edge of the lower Wall 0 of the groove or channel 0 to the front portion of the spindle, from whence it is carried down and around the bottom of the spindle and up on the rear side and over the top thereof and to the precipitous wall 0 where it descends to the distributing-wall c.

It will be observed that by my invention I obtain more effectual and reliable lubrication of the axle and obviate weakening the axle by the usual perforations and transverse grooves heretofore cut in the spindle for distributing the lubricant. By practical experience I have found that aside from the said defect of the perforations and grooves they frequently become clogged and causethe axle to become heated by friction when the vehicle is in motion.

ening of the spindle it has hitherto been im- Owing to the said weak-' possible to case-harden the spindle, which is usually formed of soft steel for the purpose of allowing it to be readily turned off and finished. In attempts to ease-harden sueh finished spindles it has been found that the spindle becomes more or less Warped and requires to be subsequently straightened, and in subjecting the spindle to this straightening process the spindle almost invariably cracked at the aforesaid transverse grooves and perforations.

Practical experience has proven that my improved axle can be case-hardened and straightened Without danger of injuring the spindle.

What I claim is- A vehicle-axle having its spindle provided with a lubricating-groove extending length- Wise thereof above the horizontal center and in front of the vertical center of the spindle, said groove having its lower wall formed approximately horizontal transversely to the front of the spindle and longitudinally throughout the main portion of the length of the groove to shed the lubricant uniformly from the entire length of said Wall, and the 

